The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1887-07-22

IssJtu tnt tupc consists OF TWO parts
wooden tailpieee fifty inches long,
which guides the projectile in its
fight; and head. The forward por-
ton or head Is brass cylinder forty
inches long, having conical cap
forty inches long, In the tube arc
placed one hundred pounds of explosive
gelatine, through the center of which
extends core of dynamite; and in the
center of the dynamite. again, is an
exploder of illuminate of mercury.
from which rod leads TO the point o.
the cap. As soon rs the latter strikes
an object, the charge cxplodes. In
order that the charge may be exploded,
In case of failure of the above arran ge-
ment, dry battery, placed in little
recess in the tailpiece of the cartridge.
Is connected with the illuminate ex-
ploder. The battery begins to work
upon being brought; into contact with
water, and the gela;ipe is then ex-
rloded.
For II is for naval warfare. In the.
ts-t place. that the pneumatic gun o.
Lieutenant Zalinski is intended. And
IL must be admitted that, while the
United States are still without the NUS,
needed ships, Notifications and heavy
guns, which would place the country
on n level with other naval powers.
these pneumatic guns will form
very efficient defensive weapons.
Besides mounting them on points
along the coast liable TO at
tack by a hostile fleet. they are 10
be employed in 2 more decisive way.
II il admitted that the range of pneu-
matte guns is limited ~ compared with
powder guns. An enemy's fleet might
lie beyond the rang fpneumatic guns.
and lombard American ports and cities
with impunity. But il is suggested.
aud appears perfectly feasible. to mount
pneumatic guns ON fast sea-going tor
pedo-boats. With such boats, aggres-
siye action of very decided and de-
cisiye character would be possible
Boats have been designed two hundred
and ten feet long BY twenty-six feet
beam. carrying from one TO three Of
these guns. OF calibers Of from ten anG
- half 10 twelve AMI half inches The
speeds of torpedo-boafs 80 armed are iC
be from twenty to twenty-five miles N
hour. The shells are TO be thrown n
least one mile. and TO contain from tw,
hundred To five hundred pounds OF ,x-
plosive gelatine, the rapidity of firing
them being from one to two shells every
two minutes
The effect of such shells upon even
he strongest ironclads would be irrre-
sis,ible. If dropped upon the deck Of
an eneTny's ironelad, they would GER
tainfy crush it, for their action would
NJ, be confined 10 simple local per-
foratIon. but the crushing in would en-
-ue over a considerable breadth Re-
sides the direct breaking action at the
point of impact. the u would he rcry
~reat transmitted shock. which would
eek out and break mp the ship at ali
-eak points in the vicinity. The decks
even of the most heavily arInered yes
'els have less than six inches of arnor,
and they present by far the greater
portion Of the target fired at More
over, the most heavily armored ships.
leaving out of account their decks. have
bat small proportion of the entire
surface covered with heavy armor
should the shell strike the portions of
the armoring too thick for perforation
the tremendous blow, as stated above
would seek out the neighboring weak
POINTS by the transmitted shock. 1t
might be assumed as $lmost certain
that the effect of exploding a large
quantity of dynamite or explosive gela-
tine upon the turret or the casemate of
a ship would be such as to render the
crew inside incapable for further ae-
ton, even if the ar1nor were not pene-
trated. Supposing, also, that the shell
should fail to hit the vessel. if Il ex-
ploded near enough, even if its explo-
sion were not sufficient TO disrupt the
hull. il would certainly affect the mo
tive power and the steering apparatus
and thus practically paralyze the ship.
Whilst twelve and half inches is III
present the limit o. caliber. there i,
nothing to hinder thn construction If
gun of sixteen and half inch caliber
and such gun ce ld throw charg,
of one thousand '.nds of explosive
gelatine. The effect If snch fearful
missile exploding board ship haG
better be left to the ;agination; but il
IS well TO bear in Ind that throwing
uch charges long stances has be-
come perfectly practicable by the intro
duction of the pneumatic gun.-Chdm-
bers' Journal